Program provides academic credit for prior education, work experience and job training
For years, Karen Norberg has known that a bachelor’s degree would open doors to her in her career.
But for Norberg, being in her 40s and working full-time, those doors seemed locked shut unless she somehow started her post-secondary education all over again from the beginning.
That is, until she found the key – the recently implemented Professional Training Transfer Credit (PTTC) program at the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC).
The PTTC program grants potential students credit for training from a licensed or accredited organization gained during employment, or their experience working in the military or public safety professions, recognizing the value of training and education within the workplace.
For Norberg, that recognition was transformative. Based on her educational background and work experience, she had enough credits to take two years off a four-year Bachelor of Law Enforcement Studies degree program.
Three pathways to academic credit
The PTTC is one of three ways prospective students can secure credits towards programs at JIBC. The other two are:
- Transfer Credit where academic credits are earned at another Canadian post-secondary institution.
- Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) in which, for a fee, a subject matter expert reviews and awards academic credit for learning through non-formal education such as work and volunteer experience, and self-study; or transfer credit that is over 10 years old.
PTTCs publicly state the results of earlier PLAs, making it easier and more consistent for prospective students going forward, said Lisa Middleton, Associate Registrar at JIBC.
“Before, people had to ask, ‘If I have this, can I have this?’” Middleton said. “Now, [once specific training has been assessed and recognized] it’s automatically processed and added to the student’s academic record at no cost.”
Middleton estimated that about 20 per cent of JIBC graduates used Transfer Credit, PLA or PTTC as a component of their program completion. People with backgrounds in law enforcement, the military and public safety professions especially benefit from having their on-the-job training recognized academically.
“If we think about learning as a journey, and each step as a component of that journey, and about your competence, to restrict recognition to this narrow band of academic courses does JIBC students specifically a grave disservice.”
Seeking recognition for years of work experience and training
Norberg had a varied educational and work background, including studying fashion design and merchandising before becoming a probation officer. From there, she was seconded from the provincial government to her current role at JIBC as an instructor in the computer systems used by B.C. Corrections.
Along the way, Norberg completed numerous courses on subjects including business, leadership, supervision, labour relations and privacy protection, all in addition to her hands-on work experience.
“I know that many agencies including Corrections require a bachelor's degree for many positions, and I have known for some time that I was limited without completing it,” she said, adding that the idea of pursuing a degree as a mature student often felt “overwhelming” so she kept putting it off.
“Once I was on campus at JIBC, I kept seeing pamphlets and posters for the Bachelor of Law Enforcement Studies program (BLES) and my wheels were turning. This seemed like a perfect fit. BLES is related to my work, familiar to me, an opportunity to build on my existing foundation and seemed less intimidating to navigate.”
No need to start at square one
But knowing what she wanted to study was one thing, figuring out how to do it was another. It didn’t help that friends and colleagues were convinced she would have to start her degree program from square one.
That all changed when she spoke with a member of JIBC’s Registration Office and learned her existing educational background and work experience counted for enough credits to take two years off her four-year degree program.
She’s thrilled and only disappointed that she didn’t look into it sooner. What was once a daunting prospect now feels much more achievable as she fits in her studies around her full-time job. The fact the PTTC program recognized her prior work and educational experience is motivating in itself, she said.
To anyone else in a similar situation, Norberg said, “Your experience is valuable, your knowledge brings a lot to the classroom discussions and projects … Don’t sell yourself short.”
For more information on Professional Training Transfer Credit at JIBC, visit here or email transfercredit@jibc.ca.